ZAGREB, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Croatian Parliament adopted on Friday a declaration on the status of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) with 81 votes for and 11 against, advocating equal rights for Croats in BiH.

Although the 20-page declaration emphasizes Croatian support for the sovereignty of BiH, it also notes the "marginalization of Croats" in the neighboring country, thus incurring criticism that Croatia is "interfering in the internal affairs of BiH" .

The declaration insists on the application of the constitution of BiH defining the state of three equal peoples -- Serbs, Croats and Bosniaks -- with the mechanism of protection of the rights of all three.

All the institutions in Croatia are invited to continue supporting the rapid changes that will ensure the equality of all three peoples and all the citizens of BiH, and to intensify assistance to institutions of strategic importance for Croats in BiH. It also confirms that Croatia will give full support to BiH on its European path.

Further prosecution of all suspects of war crimes is mentioned in the declaration, as well as the unraveling of all the unresolved cases of Croats' murders in BiH, from returnees to the highest officials of that state.

Through the declaration, the Croatian Parliament asks Croatia's representatives to point out all the violations of the Dayton Agreement, a peace deal ending the Bosnian War in the early 1990s, and all the negative aspects of the status of the Croats in BiH.

The document notes that the Croat member of BiH's tripartite Presidency was elected for the third time by the votes of the Bosnian people, which is contrary to the terms of the Dayton Agreement. Enditem

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